Using a router for home broadband security

If you have DSL or cable for your internet and are connected directly to your cable or DSL box you are a prime target for getting hacked.

The simplest routers are sufficient for the purposes discussed here.

Most hackers access your computer, if it is connected directly to you cable or DSL box, by using simple port scanning software tools to locate you IP (internet protocol address). Once you computer is located it is relatively easy for an experienced hacker to access your computer files and download personal information or infect your computer with a virus or spyware.

The easiest thing to do is to install a router between your cable or DSL box and your computers. This will make you computers invisible to any scanning attempts. The process is quite simple:

• Buy yourself a router. A small router for the home will cost anywhere from $35.00 to over $150 depending on the features. The simplest routers are sufficient for the purposes discussed here.
• Install the router between the DSL or Cable box and your computer. This prevents your computers IP from being visible on the internet.
• Make sure any additional computers in the house are also connected to the router, either by a wireless connection or by a either net cable plugged directly into the back of the router. Most routers allow at least four computers to be plugged into the back of the router.

The router out of the box should protect your computer from all but the most sophisticated hackers, and you should have no trouble installing the router yourself.